Dispensers for liquid, powder or the like materials



Sept. 13, 1966 J, 3,271,810

DISPENSERS FOR LIQUID, POWDER OR THE LIKE MATERIALS Filed July 6, 1964 611 7 F/GB.

United States Patent 3,271,810 DISPENSERS FOR LIQUID, POWDER OR THE LIKEMATERIALS Joseph Peter Ralfe, London, England, assignor to Reckitt &Colman (Overseas) Limited, Yorkshire, England, a British company FiledJuly 6, 1964, Ser. No. 380,227 Claims priority, application GreatBritain, July 4, 1963, 26,626/ 63 12 Claims. (Cl. -539) The inventionconcerns improvements relating to dispensers and in particular dispenserheads for liquid, powder or like flowaible materials which are to beapplied by a sponge-like applicator.

An object of the invention is to provide such a head wherein aninitially sealed dispensing hole concealed beneath the applicator isreadily unsealed, and obstruction of the hole by the broken sealingmeans is avoided. Obstruction of the unsealing operation or of theunsealed hole by adhesive used to secure the applicator may also beavoided by the invention.

According to the invention a dispenser head comprises a closure elementfor a container of liquid, powder or like flowable material, a rod-likemember integral with the closure element and upstanding therefrom toproject outwardly of the container, a sealed dispensing hole extendingthrough the closure element and part way into the rod-like member todefine a thin-walled region of weakness which enables the rod-likemember to be readily broken off from the closure element to unseal thedispensing hole, and a sponge form applicator secured on the closureelement to apply the material, the rod-like member passing completelythrough the applicator to present an end thereof whereby the member canbe broken off and withdrawn.

Advantageously the closure element includes an integral diaphragm, therod-like member upstands from the diaphragm, and the diaphragm presentsa wall formation defining a region around the rod-like member separatefrom the remainder of the diaphragm.

The applicator may have an end which is secured to the diaphragm byadhesive and the wall formation prevents such adhesive from penetratingto said region.

Embodiments of a dispenser head according to the invention arehereinafter described by way of example only with reference to theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation of one embodiment of the head partly in section,

FIG. 2 is a plan view of such head,

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section of the closure element of such head,and

FIGS. 4 to 8 illustrate alternative forms of the closure element.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the dispenser head 1 is to be fitted to acontainer indicated diagrammatically at 2 for the liquid, powder or likeflowable material to be dispensed. Thus the head comprises a closureelement 3 which includes a cylindrical portion 4 which is adapted to befitted to the container 2 e.g. by means of an internal screw threadformation 5. Any other suitable form of fitting could be used, e.g. anexternal screw thread formation or a snap closure.

The closure element also includes an integral diaphragm 6 of disc formhaving a central thickened portion or boss 7. Any equivalent centralstrengthening formation may alternatively be provided at either face ofthe diaphragm. A rod or rod-like member 8 is integral with the diaphragmand upstands centrally of the diaphragm and boss 7 to project outwardlyof the container. A sealed dispensing hole 9 extends axially through the3,271 ,810 Patented Sept. 13, 1966 "ice diaphragm and boss 7 and for ashort distance into the rod 8. The wall of the rod in the region 10around the hole 9 therein is sufficiently thin and weak in relation tothe material of the rod that the latter can be readily broken off fromthe diaphragm, being either forced sideways or twisted for this purpose.

The boss 7 or equivalent strengthening assists in ensuring that the rodbreaks as required, without fracturing the diaphragm. A cylindrical wallformation in the form of a lip 11 upstands from the diaphragm co-axiallyaround the rod 8 to define an annular region or space 12 around the rod8 separate from the remainder of the diaphragm and between the diaphragmand an applicator 13.

The applicator 13 is constituted by a cylindrical plug of sponge-formmaterial (e.g. of cellular rubber or plastic) which has a substantiallyflat end 14 secured to the corresponding face of the diaphragm byadhesive which is prevented by the lip 11 from penetrating to said saidregion 12 around the rod 8. The plug has a central axial hole 15 topermit the rod 8 to pass completely through the plug and present an end16 projecting from the plug. This end 16 may carry means such as thewing 17 to facilitate the required breakage of the rod. The cylindricalportion 4 of the closure element may also present a cylindrical shoulderformation 18 upstanding from the diaphragm 6 to assist in locating theplug.

A cap as indicated diagrammatically at 19 is removably fitted onto theclosure element 3 to enclose the applicator and the projecting rod end16 with the wing 17, for example by a friction fit over the cylindricalradially outer surface 20 of the element which may be slightly taperedfor this purpose.

In use: the cap is removed to expose the wing 17. This is twisted orpushed sideways and the force is applied to the rod 8t-his movement isnot impeded by the applicator plug 13 which is relatively soft and hasconsiderable givewith the result that the rod is broken off immediatelynext to the boss 7. The rod is then withdrawn from the plug by pullingon the wing in a direction lengthwise of the rod. The rod and wing whencompletely withdrawn may be thrown away. The contents can then readilyescape from the container through the unsealed dispensing hole 9 intothe plug for application thereby. The hole 9 is made of a size suited tothe flow characteristics of the material to be dispensed. The contentspass rapidly into the sponge of the plug through the axial hole 15therein, though of course this will partly close on withdrawal of therod.

As indicated above, it is ensured that during assembly and usage of thehead, adhesive is not present in and does not penetrate to the region inthe immediate vicinity of the dispensing hole 9, which adhesive mightotherwise hinder breakage of the rod and also provide a partialobstruction to the ready flow of the liquid or powder to be applied.

The closure element 3 integral with the rod 8 is preferably made from asynthetic resin material, e.g. high impact polystyrene. After securingthe plug 13 with adhesive, the wing 17 is fixed to the rod, the wingbeing made for example of polythene.

The head may be fitted to various forms of dispenser container which mayhave rigid walls or a pliable wall to assist dispensing.

FIG. 4 shows an alternative form of the closure element 3 wherein thediaphragm 6 has a shallow conical strengthening formation at the face tothe container side presenting a central thickened portion 7a. Also, thecylindrical shoulder formation 18 of FIGS. 1 to 3 is omitted.

FIG. 5 shows an arrangement similar to FIG. 4 but, with the conicalformation at the outer face of the 3 diaphragm 6., to present a centralthickened portion 7b.

In RIG. 6 both faces of the diaphragm 6 have such a shallow conicalformation to present a central thickened portion 70.

In FIG. 7 the face to the container side of the diaphragm 6 presents thecentral thickened boss 7d.

FIG. 8 shows an arrangement similar to that of FIGS. 1 to 3, but thecylindrical wall formation 11' is not continued upward as a lip abovethe boss 7, and in this case the separate region 12' around the rod 8 isdefined solely by the boss 7. Again the cylindrical shoulder formation18 is omitted.

I claim:

1. A dispenser head comprising a closure element for a container offlowable material, a rod member integral with said closure element andupstanding therefrom to project outwardly of the container, a sealeddispensing hole extending through said closure element and part way intosaid rod member, a thin-walled region of weakness defined in said rodmember by said hole which enables said rod member to be readily brokenoff from said closure element to unseal said hole, a sponge formapplicator secured on said closure element to apply the material andthrough which said rod passes completely, and an end of said rod thusprojecting from said applicator whereby the said rod can be broken offand withdrawn.

2. A dispenser head according to claim 1 wherein the closure elementincludes an integral diaphragm, the rod member upstands from thediaphragm, and the diaphragm presents a wall formation defining a regionaround the rod member separate from the remainder of the diaphragm.

3. A dispenser head according to claim 2 wherein an end of theapplicator is secured to the diaphragm by adhesive and the wallformation prevents said adhesive from penetrating to said region.

4. A dispenser head according to claim 2 wherein the rod member upstandscentrally from the diaphragm and the wall formation is in the form of alip upstanding cylindrically from the diaphragm co-axially around saidmember.

5. A dispenser head according to claim 2 wherein the diaphragm has astrengthening formation from which the rod member upstands.

6. A dispenser head according to claim 1 wherein means to facilitate therequired breakage of said rod member is carried by said end of said rodmember which projects from said applicator.

7. A dispenser head according to claim 1 wherein the closure elementincludes a cylindrical portion which is adapted to be fitted to thecontainer.

8. A dispenser head according to claim 7 wherein the cylindrical portionfurther presents a shoulder formation assisting to locate theapplicator.

9. A dispenser head according to claim 1 further comprising a capremovably fitting onto the closure element to enclose the applicator.

10. A dispenser comprising a container for flowable material, a closureelement fitted to said container, a rod member integral with saidclosure element and upstanding therefrom to project outwardly of thecontainer, a sealed dispensing hole extending through said closureelement and part way into said rod member, a thin-walled region ofweakness defined in said rod member by said hole which enables said rodmember to be readily broken off from said closure element to unseal saidhole, a sponge-form applicator secured on said closure element to applythe material and through which said rod passes completely, and an end ofsaid rod thus projecting from said applicator whereby said rod can bebroken off and withdrawn.

11. A dispenser according to claim 10 wherein said closure elementincludes an integral diaphragm, said rod member upstands centrally fromsaid diaphragm, a cylindrical lip upstands from said diaphragmco-axially around said rod member to define a region around such mem'berseparate from the remainder of said diaphragm.

12. A dispenser according to claim 11 wherein an end of said applicatoris secured to said diaphragm by adhesive and said lip prevents suchadhesive from penetrating to said region around said rod member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,571,542 10/1951Collins 21542 2,750,068 6/ 195 6 Platt 222-541 2,911,664 11/1959Zecchini 15-539 FOREIGN PATENTS 989,825 4/ 1965 Great Britain. 344,8234/ 1960 Switzerland.

CHAR LES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner,

1. A DISPENSER HEAD COMPRISING A CLOSURE ELEMENT FOR A CONTAINER OFFLOWABLE MATERIAL, A ROD MEMBER INTEGRAL WITH SAID CLOSURE ELEMENT ANDUPSTANDING THEREFROM TO PROJECT OUTWARDLY OF THE CONTAINER, A SEALEDDISPENSING HOLE EXTENDING THROUGH SAID CLOSURE ELEMENT AND PART WAY INTOSAID ROD MEMBER, A THIN-WALLED REGION OF WEAKNESS DEFINED IN SAID RODMEMBER BY SAID HOLE WHICH ENABLES SAID ROD MEMBER TO BE READILY BROKENOFF FROM SAID CLOSURE ELEMENT TO UNSEAL SAID HOLE, A SPONGE-FORMAPPLICATOR SECURED ON SAID CLOSURE ELEMENT TO APPLY THE MATERIAL ANDTHROUGH WHICH SAID ROD PASSES COMPLETELY, AND AN END OF SAID ROD THUSPROJECTING FROM SAID APPLICATOR WHEREBY THE SAID ROD CAN BE BROKEN OFFAND WITHDRAWN.